x-ray anatomy - pccspot.pcc.edu/~lkidoguc/nia/embodyandshare/10... · principle 10 x-ray anatomy...

10Principle

X-Ray AnatomyDynamic Postural Alignment

“…If we see our so-called limitations with clarity, precision, gentleness, good-heartedness and kindness and, having seen them fully, then let go, open further, we begin to find that our world is more vast and more refreshing and fascinating than we had realized before. In other words, the key to feeling more whole and less shut off and shut down is to be able to see clearly who we are and what we are doing.”

Pema Chodron

Principle 10 - X-Ray Anatomy | 2© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com

IntroductionNia and X-Ray Anatomy

X-Ray Anatomy is a practice that uses your eyes,

imagination and intuition to “see through” to the

structure and alignment of a person’s bones, muscles

and ligaments. Your ability to perceive what is happening

beneath the skin provides a glimpse inside your body and

the bodies of everyone you see. This allows you to make

conscious movement choices for realignment and self-

healing, integrating your body’s way with The Body’s Way.

If you know how to look and listen, your body is always

talking to you, always giving you information about

what is happening inside. The sum of your physical,

mental, emotional and spiritual makeup—including your

attitudes, beliefs and past experiences—are all part of

the way your body moves and functions in the “now.”

Every moment of life has imprinted you with information,

which is revealed in the way you move. With X-Ray

Anatomy, we look at this information objectively,

without judgement or projection, and use it to lovingly

realign and heal our bodies. We also study the design

of the body itself, including the names, actions and

arrangement of all its parts, so we can make informed

movement choices, based on our current and ideal

alignment.

Create a relationship with your body. Touch your body

to learn from it. Where are the muscles that move each

bone? How are they shaped? Where do they begin

and end? Study a variety of anatomical references to

become more familiar with the body and with your body.

Eventually you will be able to see, sense and perceive the

details of everything happening inside you as naturally as

you perceive the outside world.


Voice ofBody

To the physical part of you, I offer eyes to see the unseen

by sensing and feeling the Self in space and time—the Self

in a body. I speak to you through the language of gravity,

responding to the call of down and up, on and off balance.

My lines of communication are direct—short and long,

even and irregular. My doors open and close, moving

energy through and around you. I am a sensory messenger,

here to keep you vertically aligned, stable and mobile.

Mind

To the mental part of you, I offer structure and form. I

am exact—and I can be counted on to be the same for

everyone. I share my innate wisdom to help you overcome

powerful internal and external forces through movement.

Let me do the thinking while your muscles take a ride of

motion; let me keep them quick on the draw, yet relaxed

and waiting.

Emotions

To the emotional part of you, I offer a safe haven for being

still and quiet—for being aggressive and empowered. Deep

in my marrow you will find strength, guts and grace. Look

directly into my alignment; I will tell you exactly what

you are feeling and thinking about yourself and the world

around you.

Spirit

To the spirit part of you, I offer lightness of being. I am a

matrix of illumination, clarity and freedom. I am made from

the most porous and powerful substances: love and light.

I am the one who gives you physical shape. I am the one

who defines you as a child, as an adolescent, as an adult,

an elder, a wise one. I am the one who makes birth and

death visible. All life hinges on me, dancing into eternity.


ScienceBones

Bones are the support structure for your body—

together, they create your amazing, movable frame.

Like conductors, your bones direct energy along

specific lines, in specific directions. The size and

placement of each bone reveals its function. Look

at the bones in your body objectively. Examine the

shape of each bone to understand how it is designed

to function. By exploring your amazing skeleton

with your eyes and hands, you can better sense the

support it provides as you move.

Ligaments

Ligaments connect bones at joints, the places where

two bones meet. Like long, sturdy rubberbands, your

ligaments keep your structure stable, while allowing

for a broad range of movement. By examining the

design of each joint, it is easy to see what kind of

movement the joint is designed for. For example,

the hip joint is made of a “ball” (at the top of the

thighbone), which sits comfortably in a “socket”

(a rounded, hollow area of the pelvis). This “ball

and socket” design allows your thighbone to move

forward, backward and to the side in many angles.

It also allows your leg to rotate inward and outward.

All of this movement relies on the pliability of the

ligaments that connect your thighbone to your pelvis,

which are kept healthy through movement. Become

familiar with your ligaments to explore your joints

and your body’s endless movement possibilities.

Muscles

Muscles are incredible fibers; they pump fluid,

squeeze out toxins and create movement in your

whole body by relaxing and contracting. When

your muscles contract, they pull on your bones

to draw them in specific directions. This is why

when your muscles are too loose or too tight, they

can cause misalignment in your skeletal structure.

Muscles function best when they are in an optimal

balance of dynamic tension—relaxed but ready.

Explore your muscles with your eyes, your hands,

and through sensation. Sense for tightness or

looseness. Sense areas where you could use more

strength (more contraction) or more flexibility (more

looseness). The information you gather allows you

to initiate conscious movements that facilitate better

functioning and alignment.


200/700 One of the Nia tools we use to support X-Ray Anatomy

is the concept of “200/700,” which refers to the 200+

bones and 700+ muscles in the body. Exploring our

bodies with the awareness of 200/700 reveals an endless

world of movement possibilities, and gives Nia teachers

a larger lens through which to observe their students and

themselves. Witnessing with “200/700” helps teachers

understand of the mechanics of each person’s movement,

so they can best direct choreography to support healing

and conditioning for everybody.

Recall1. What is the triad for Principle 10?

2. What is the catch phrase for Principle 10?

3. What does 200/700 refer to in Principle 10?


CraftThis principle introduces you to the practice of observing and sensing for body alignment. Begin by witnessing what

is happening beneath your skin, first paying attention to your bones. Do not judge, manipulate or interfere. Simply

observe, and sense for the vertical, horizontal and rotational lines in the bone alignment you see. Next, look and sense

for ligaments. Remember: ligaments connect bone to bone. When observing ligaments, sense for the range of motion

available within your joints. Health and alignment in your ligaments is sensed as stability. Finally, look and sense for your

muscles, which attach to your bones and create movement by contracting and releasing. Sense muscular alignment as

dynamic tension, the perfect balance between loose and tight.

After gathering information through X-Ray Anatomy, consciously direct your movements to loosen or tighten areas of

your body in ways that create optimal dynamic alignment. Keep in mind: With over 200 bones and more than 700

muscles in your body, you have access to an unlimited range movement possibilities! Play with movement variety to keep

your bones, ligaments and muscles healthy, stimulated and aligned.

X-Ray Anatomy Dynamic Postural Alignment

Sense alignment as dynamic tensionIntrinsic, Extrinsic

Sense alignment as stabilityRange of Motion

Sense alignment as directionsVertical, Horizontal, Rotational


EmbodimentFor these exercises, refer to the book: The Nia Technique: The High-Powered Energizing Workout

that Gives You a New Body and a New Life.**

Exercise 1: Practice the 52 Moves while focusing on X-Ray Anatomy

Using your Nia Technique book and Nia 52 Moves

DVDs, practice all 52 moves while focusing on X-Ray

Anatomy. Witness your bone alignment as it compares

to the models in the book or DVD. Do not judge

or interfere—just observe. After you have gathered

information about your body, you may choose to

make changes to improve your technique, alignment

and overall comfort. Repeat this exercise regularly to

continually refine your posture and movement skills.

Exercise 2: Practice a Nia routine while focusing on X-Ray Anatomy

Practice X-Ray Anatomy as you watch any Nia routine

DVD, and focus on observing your bone alignment as it

compares to the alignment of Debbie or Carlos. Without

judging or interfering with your movement, witness

what is happening beneath your skin. Simply observe.

After you have gathered information about your body,

you may choose to make changes to improve your

technique, alignment and overall comfort. Repeat this

exercise regularly to continually refine your posture and

movement skills.

Exercise 3: Zorro

Zorro is a Nia technique that trains your eye to quickly

analyze a person’s bones in relationship to vertical,

horizontal and rotational lines. To “Zorro” is to draw

quick (“Zorro-like”) stick figures as you observe

bodies in motion, which represent the bones you are

“X-Raying.” The idea is to create fast, simple lines

which help you track a person’s alignment and flow

of movement. To refine your Zorro skills, practice in

a public place and/or while watching TV. As a person

walks by or changes shape, quickly draw lines to

represent the bones of his or her base, core and upper

extremities. Once you have finished “Zorro-ing” one

person, move onto another.

Exercise 4: Review the bones and muscles of the body

Using the anatomy images from the Base, Core and

Upper Extremities chapters of your White Belt

Embody and Share book (Principles 6, 8, 9), examine

the shape of each bone and muscle in the body.

Review their names, locations and functions within

the body’s whole dynamic structure.


Exercise 5: Examine your bone alignment

With an anatomy book on hand for reference, examine

your body in a mirror and pay attention to your bone

alignment. Look at your body from all directions—from

the front, back and side. Next:

•Select one body part to focus on.

•Locate that body part in your anatomy book and

compare your bone alignment with the ideal

alignment shown in the book.

• If your bone alignment differs from the image in the

book, explore possible reasons for this. Are some

of your muscles too tight or too loose to allow for

optimal alignment? What previous injuries may

have affected your alignment? What movement

or lifestyle habits might be contributing to your

current alignment?

•Where needed, focus on consciously loosening

and tightening specific muscles, with the intent to

improve your bone alignment. Listen and respond

to the sensations of comfort and pleasure, the

voices that tell you, “This is good—this supports

healthy alignment and functioning.”


RecapitulateRecapitulate, and then in your Nia journal,

describe what you experienced while

practicing Principle 10, X-Ray Anatomy.

ArtDancing Through Life With X-Ray Anatomy

To embody Principle 10, X-Ray Anatomy, pay attention

to the alignment of your bones, ligaments and muscles

throughout the day. Here are some examples to get started:

•As you walk, “X-Ray” the bones of your base. What

direction is each foot pointing in? Keep walking and

sense your ankle, knee and hip joints. Next, sense

the muscles of your legs. Do any muscles feel too

tight? Too loose? Keep “X-Raying” and observing

your base every time you walk, run and dance.

•As you stand while waiting in line or having a

conversation, “X-Ray” the bones of your base. Does

one leg typically stay straight while the other bends?

Is your weight evenly distributed on both feet? Do

you shift to one side more than the other? Sense your

knee joints—are they locked or spring-loaded with

dynamic tension?

•As you sit, “X-Ray” the bones of your pelvis, chest,

head and spine. Does the way you are sitting create

any discomfort in your body? What can you change

to make “sitting” feel better?

•As you read a book, watch TV or work on the

computer, “X-Ray” the placement of your head. Is

it aligned on top of your pelvis and chest? Does it

rest in a way that causes strain on your neck or back

muscles? Do your shoulder muscles have tension

that may be affecting the placement of your head?

Play with different head placements (i.e.: further

forward or backward, etc.), and notice if any of them

are more comfortable.


Teaching Preparation

My StoryAs you read about, practice and embody Principle 10,

X-Ray Anatomy, take some time to describe your personal

story. How has Principle 10 affected your life?

As you embody Principle 10, cues for X-Ray Anatomy

will begin to flow naturally while you dance, regardless

of the focus or routine. To prepare for teaching, practice

cueing the moves and describing the concept aloud,

as though you are teaching a live class. What language

will you use to express the importance of sensing bones,

joints and muscles, while still encouraging students to

follow their body’s way?

Next, practice describing the fitness and conditioning

benefits of “200/700.” Imagine a student asking, “Why do

we do this?” How would you answer this question and

relate it to X-Ray Anatomy? Practice sharing the answer

out loud, both before class and as you dance. When you

are ready, focus on X-Ray Anatomy in a real Nia class.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

•Focus on the vertical, horizontal and/or rotational

alignment of bones

•Focus on sensing stability in the joints

•Focus on sensing the contraction of intrinsic and

extrinsic muscles

•Focus on 200/700, exploring the unlimited

movement possibilities available to every body

•Focus on sensing areas of the body that feel too tight

or too loose

To practice X-Ray Anatomy as a teacher, “X-Ray” the

alignment of your students’ bones as you lead them

through class. Look at each body lovingly, simply

observing vertical, horizontal and rotational lines. Do not

judge or interfere. Just observe. What does each person’s

alignment tell you about his or her muscles—about

which muscles may be too tight or too loose?

One way to gain more information is to “try on” a

student’s posture, allowing your bones to create the shape

you see in someone else. How does this person’s posture

feel on your body? How does it affect your comfort,

mobility and flexibility? What can you do to invite more

comfort into your body as you move in this alignment?

After you have gained more understanding, you may

invite your students to make the same changes you made.

For example, observe how a student’s skull sits over her

spinal column. Notice how this alignment might be

affected by her neck, back and/or shoulder muscles—

does it suggest some muscles may be too tight or too

loose? Tilt your head in the same direction and pay

attention to how it feels. Is there an adjustment you can

make to sense more comfort? If yes, invite your class to

play with that adjustment too, by saying, “Everybody,

[insert movement invitation here].”

**Rosas, Debbie, and Carlos Rosas. The Nia Technique: the High-powered Energizing Workout That Gives You a New Body and a New Life. New York: Broadway, 2004. Print.

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